Big Walnut didn’t score at all during last week’s season-opening loss to Westerville Central.
Thursday’s home opener against Olentangy Berlin, though, was a different story.
The Golden Eagles started fast and hung on late en route to a 5-4 non-league win.
“We had a talk (after the opener),” BW coach Chris Allen said. “It was a good turn-around performance … and Berlin did well.”
Mya Kaylor broke the scoring seal off a feed from Katie Cook less than five minutes in and Avery Maxeiner scored twice in a 10-minute span to give Big Walnut a 3-0 lead with 27:15 left in the first half.
The Bears didn’t go away, though.
Rileigh Glassburn beat BW keeper Olivia Ramsey high to get Berlin on the board with 17 minutes left in the first half and, less than a minute later, Cameryn Susey was fouled in the box and converted the ensuing penalty kick to make it 3-2.
Estella Truax ballooned the Eagles’ edge back to two with a goal late in the half and Ella Froehlich scored what proved to be the game winner in the second.
Sydney Davis and Avery Curtin added second-half tallies for the Bears, who had plenty of chances.
Ramsey finished with 17 saves in the BW net while Jessica Burchinal had eight saves for Berlin.
Delaware Hayes 1, Bishop Hartley 0
Maddy Green got the Pacers on the board early and the defense took care of the rest, blanking the visiting Hawks en route to a non-league win Thursday in Delaware.
Olentangy Liberty 1, Pickerington North 1
Liberty’s Jaimason Brooker scored off a feed from Victoria Susi to even things by halftime and the Patriots and host Panthers played to a draw after a scoreless second half Thursday night in Pickerington.
BOYS SOCCER
Liberty Union struck first, but visiting Buckeye Valley handled its business the rest of the way en route to a 3-1 win Thursday night.
After Tyler Palmer got the Lions on the board in the 11th minute, the Barons scored three unanswered — all in the first half — to take control.
A.J. Nicolosi evened things up in the 14th minute, Eli Aquino made it 2-1 with a goal in the 27th minute and Nicolosi added his second three minutes later to smooth out the scoring summary.
Treyden Williams had four saves in the BV net.
Olentangy 5, Grove City 0
Jake Eby scored twice, Daniel Davies and Colin McComb had a pair of assists apiece and Tommy Chilicki had seven saves as the Braves blanked the visiting Greyhounds Thursday in Lewis Center.
Bennett Pinkerton, Brandon Eddy and Daniel Gallagher also scored in the win.
Delaware Hayes 2, Bishop Watterson 1
Dylan Ashworth scored for the fourth time in the first three games of the season and Abdul Kawa added another as the Pacers edged the host Eagles Thursday night in Columbus.
Olentangy Berlin 1, Worthington Kilbourne 0
Kyle Rinehart scored off a feed from Landon Kuhn and Connor Sexton collected three saves as the Bears blanked the host Wolves Thursday night.
Also: Big Walnut 0, Gahanna Lincoln 0
GIRLS TENNIS
Delaware Hayes picked up wins on two of the three singles courts and came out on top in both doubles showdowns on the way to a 4-1 win over visiting Westerville South Thursday afternoon.
Pacer winners included Grace Martin (6-1, 6-2 at second singles), Lilly Tope (6-3, 6-2 at third singles), the duo of Eliza Riggs and Sophia Midura (6-1, 6-0 at first doubles) and Meredith Keller and Chloe Kannally (6-3, 6-4 at second doubles).
Big Walnut 3, Worthington Kilbourne 2
The Golden Eagles swept the doubles courts and picked up a win at second singles to slip past the visiting Wolves Thursday in Sunbury.
Molly McLane earned BW’s lone singles win (6-0, 6-2) while Karen Ambrose and Addy Smith teamed up for a 6-4, 7-5 win at first doubles and Avery Wagner and Lindsey Stevens won 6-2, 6-1 at second doubles.
Also: Olentangy Berlin 4, Hilliard Darby 1
GIRLS GOLF
Kirsten Fridley fired a 47 and Emily Longworth had a 49 to lead Buckeye Valley to a 212-271 win over visiting Bishop Ready Thursday afternoon.
Other BV scorers included Madison Lowe (53) and Renae Frymyer (63).
Also: Dublin Coffman 156, Olentangy Liberty 168
BOYS GOLF
Olentangy Liberty finished third with a 303, Olentangy Berlin tied for fourth with a 314 and Olentangy was 12th with a 340 at Thursday’s St. Charles Invitational at Brookside.
Jack O’Donnell led the Patriots with a 73 while Grant Smeltzer was right behind him with a 74.
Brady Casto boosted the Bears with a team-low 76 while Ben Wilch led the Braves with a 76.
St. Charles won with a combined 289 while Dublin Jerome nabbed runner-up honors with a 293.
